Windows PCs without new certificates will lose access to Windows Update in 2027
Microsoft has warned that Windows devices lacking replacement certificates will lose access to Windows Update when the current certificates expire in May and June 2027. The company posted the notice to its Windows release health message centre on Oct. 8.
For most people with a current, regularly patched PC, nothing needs to be done. The risk is for machines that are behind on updates or running versions of Windows that Microsoft no longer supports. Those devices will stop receiving any updates, including security fixes, after the relevant date, BleepingComputer reported.
What Microsoft says is required
- Windows 11, version 25H2 and later: no action required.
- Windows 11, version 24H2 and Windows Server 2025: install the September 2025 security update or later before June 19, 2027.
- Other supported Windows 11 versions, Windows Server 2022 and supported Windows 10 versions: install the July 2026 security update or later before June 19, 2027.
- Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC, Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2016: install the July 2026 security update or later before May 17, 2027.
- Any other Windows version: upgrade to a supported release.
The change does not apply to devices that get updates through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Microsoft said.
Why it matters
Windows Update uses certificates to establish a trusted connection before downloading anything. When those certificates expire, a device that does not hold the replacements cannot verify the service and stops receiving patches. That can happen silently: a forgotten PC in a back office or a machine that has not been switched on for months may simply fall off the update cycle.
The deadline lands while many Canadian households and small businesses are still running Windows 10 after its consumer support ended in October 2025. Machines in that position that are not enrolled in a paid extended support program are already unsupported; the certificate expiry will make it harder to bring them back up to date later.
What to do
- Open Settings, then Windows Update, and install all pending updates on every device you own or manage.
- IT teams should inventory machines on older or unsupported versions and plan upgrades before May 2027.
- Power on spare and seldom-used laptops and let them update before the deadline.
